Flashlights
by Here2CatchU
Summary: On a normal day she would have taken one look at the drenched diva and had gone about her day with a smirk on her face. But Oh God how she wished it was an ordinary day because that wasn't red dye number 7 that was seeping through the other girls clothes or pooled at her feet. It was blood.
1. Chapter 1

Flashlights

 _Disclaimer: I dont own glee just like to write about it_

Life was full of shitty things. It was just a basic truth of the world that no one was able to escape, you held on tight and you prayed that when the dust settled you were one of the ones left standing.

Santana Lopez had been witness to alot of these shitty things in her seventeen years of life and hell, if she were being honest with herself she had been the cause of some of those shitty things herself on her rise up the social ladder of William Mckinley Highschool.

She had thrown slushy facials just as fast as insults into the faces of too many nameless losers to count, back stabbed friends and strangers alike, slept with any popular guy who tried to get into her pants even after she had admitted to herself she was a lesbian and had done it all in the name of popularity and a smirk on her face. Her knickname wasn't satan for nothing.

She had always justified the means by thinking it wasnt her who made the rules of the game; She was just damn good at playing it. Because at William Mckinley Highschool you were either the predator or you became the prey. If you were popular the little quirks and differences you had coukd be accepted, even deemed cool by the student body but if you were unpopular those little quirks and differences became red glaring targets for ridicule and torture. She promised herself along time ago that no matter what it took she would be on top. It was survival of the fittest at its finest.

On the morning of April 18th, with the promise of rain on each passing breeze that motto took on a whole new meaning as she stood at the end of the activities hall with Noah puckerman on her right holding a worn baseball bat in his hands and Quinn Fabray on her left holding a golf club they had found in principal figgins office above her head. For a moment time and the world seemed to freeze.

At the other end of the hallway she watched in horror as Artie abrams was pulled from his wheelchair. It clattered over on to its side, its one wheel spinning uselessy as the boy who until she had joined glee club had just been one of those nameless losers she had thrown slushies at. He screamed and it was a sound she had never heard before helplessness and terror combined and all she wanted to do was cover her ears like she used to do when she was little and her older brother Rico would let her watch horror movies with him while their parents were out.

But this was no movie, her parents wouldnt be home any minute to tuck her in and tell her that monsters werent real and she would always be safe. This was one of those shitty things that you had to come to terms with because life and most certainly not death were ever fair and before she could even move they watched as what used to be coach Beiste bit into Artie as if he was nothing more then one of her turduckens and mercifully the boy went silent as the life left his body.

The shaky gasp that escaped from Quinns lips seemed to get time to start moving again and Santana snapped back into focus,

" come on" she told them" we have to go back before she's ready for dessert"

Quinn gave her a disgusted look but said nothing as they turned back towards the choir room careful as to not draw attention to themselves.

" that wasn't coach anymore" Puck said, his voice holding some hint of emotion she couldnt name.

" I know" Santana told him without looking at didnt have to see the tears to know He was crying.

Only when they were safely back in the choir room and the doors secured with the chain and padlock they had found in the janitors closet did Santana fully allow herself to process what had just happened.

Tears threatend to spill and she wanted to lash out. To punch the door until her knuckles split and the physicsl pain took over the emotional one.

She couldnt breakdown though, it wasnt in her nature and she had a feeling if she did lose it Quinn and Puck would soon follow. She watched with wary eyes as Puck crossed the room to the piano and opened the burlap sack they had scavenged pulling out two flashlights.

She fought another wave of tears as the mohawked boy turned them on and placed them next to the five other flashlights that sat on top of the piano.

Seven flashlights for seven people whose own lights no longer shined.

Santana tilted her head back, closing her eyes against the barage of memories that flooded over her. Memories of a time when the choir room had been like a home and not the fortress of survival it had become.

Pushing the memories away she walked to the white board adding Artie and Coach Beiste to the list of the dead along with Tina, Mr. schue, Sam, Mercedes and Miss Pilsbury. Her eyes moved to the unknowns. There had been too many to write down so they had only written down the lost glee members. Six names glared back at her and she sent up a silent prayer that they were alright.

Quinn began to cry.

Much later when Puck had moved to the top of the rizers and Quinns cries had tappered off as sleep finally claimed her, Santana was left with the ghosts of the choir room.

She could almost hear them. Mercedes and Tina laughing over some new gossip while Sam and Artie worked out a new guitar riff.

It was with these lullaby memories that Santana finally drifted off to sleep.

Outside a cool breeze rippled through the empty streets. From somewhere a dog barked and the sound of a trash can falling over echoed into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

It started with a shot of tequila, Or as her father always called it" ta-kill-ya". Music blared in the back ground and she watched anxiously as Noah Puckerman poured the amber liquid sloppily into her shot glass. Santana hated tequila and was probaly well past her limit already but she would be damned if she woud back out on the challenge now and give the boy the satisfaction of her admitting defeat.

" Ok Lopez, we go shot for shot, person who taps out first has to do a dare"

" yeah yeah , i know the drill"

Both seemed to take a deep breath before picking up the shot glass and downing the first shot. It was as horrible as she had thought it woud be and struggled to keep it down. Puck didnt seem to be faring much better and they both laughed at the others discomfort. They had been friends for a long time. Way before joining glee and their parking lot hook ups. Back before popularity had become the number one thing there had been Santana and Noah, a little girl who had much rather gotten out there with the boys playing pirate ship then sit in her room playing dolls and a little boy who loved playing football. In that moment for a brief second thats who they were again. Noah and Tana, two kids who had swapped spit handshakes becoming blood brothers for life.

A banging noise from somewhere deeper into the house startled her from her thoughts and both her and Puck turned to look to where it came from. Their second shot of tequila forgotten

" What-"

Her sentence was cut short as she jolted awake. The darkness of the choir room a hard contrast to the party in her dream.

" There is someone out there" Puck said and she jumped slightly at the break in the silence.

Santana sat up, trying to shake away the grasp of sleep that still clung to her. The dream had been so real. So inviting and she longed for that to be the reality that she was waking in.

Puck was sitting with his back to the door his head leaned back against it. He seemed almost relaxed but she knew him well enough to know that was just an act. He had always tried to be the calm one. even when they had been kids and both afraid of thunderstorms.

" I think its someone alive"

That woke Santana up. They hadn't heard or seen anyone else alive since the thing that had once been Coach Bieste killed Artie. That had been four days ago.

" why do you think they are still alive and not one of those things?" she asked. Puck just seemed to shrug " Its a different kind of movement"

She nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. The zombies moved with abandon, no real destination in their steps unless they picked up on the scent of something to eat.

" Do you think its a glee kid?" Quinn asked from her spot on the floor. Santana ticked her eyes towards the blonde who until now she thought was still sleeping.

Truth was, it could be anyone. It could be nothing but a false hope but the longing expressions on her companions faces told her they were hoping for a miracle. One Santana was unsure she wanted to believe in. Hope just led to disappointment.

Seconds dragged into minutes that seemed like hours as they sat in silence listening for something but not exactly knowing what they were listening for. Was it something ti be hopeful for, some kind of help, comfort? or was it just another nightmare step into the new world they had found themselves in. Suddenly the door knob began to rattle as if someone was trying to get inside.

" I told you " Puck said, lifting up onto his knees. Quinn also sat up a little straighter her hazel eyes flashing with curiosity.

Santana wasnt sure what her next step should be. Part of her wanted to open the door in hopes of finding someone who knew what the hell was going on and the other part of her wanted to stay hunkered down so that they wouldnt open themselves up to becoming one of those things dinner.

The door knob went still again.

" Puck, unlock the chain, and take a look" Satana told him. Her own curiosity getting the better of her. She let go of breath she hadnt even been aware she had been holding.

Puck nodded and as quiet as he could unlocked the chain and pulled it free.

She felt Quinn slide up beside her and they both shared a look before turning back just in time to see Puck slip through the doors opening.

TBC


End file.
